Rebel FC 7 results: Sakano and Majima steal the belts

Rebel FC 7: Fight for Honor took place on 29 April in Shanghai, China.

In the two championship matches the title changed hands by submissions, with almost every other match going to the scorecards.

In the main event, the 61kg Championship, reigning title holder Ayideng Jumayi forced the action against Shuhei Sakano, but got more than he asked for from the aggressive all-rounder.

Sakano attacked from every position – standing and off his back – forcing Jumayi to defend every second. Jumayi started turing the tide in the fourth round but Sakano would not be denied. Sakano got the top position, cut Jumayi with elbows, then submitted him with an arm triangle to end the thrilling performance and claim the belt.

In the co-main event 66kg Championship bout, challenger Kazumasa Majima showed off a beautiful top game with grappling control and punches against Champion Rodolfo Marques Diniz in the first round.

It didn’t take long for the same strategy to work in the second and with a rear naked choke sealing his victory and transferring the featherweight title to Majima.

Liu Lianjie and Carlo Laurel put on an entertaining and evenly matched bout. Liu showed off his kungfu kicks and slipperiness, and Laurel delivered an active performance with unending punches and kicks. The judges should have had an equally difficult time but the unanimous decision went to Liu.

Lu Zhenhong put on a ground and pound clinic against Dmytro Predebaylo throughout three rounds. As the fight developed, Predebaylo tried to get more and more creative with spinning kicks and punches, but Lv was completely wise to it. With punches from the top right to the final bell, Lv secured the unanimous decision.

Marcio Andrade put on a slick first round against Anton Radko with a takedown to mount and punches throughout. The second was a little more event, and Radko even had a kimura attempt. But the third was definitive with Andrade throwing big and landing a staggering right that led to a huge throw and good submission hunting on the ground. Andrade won the decision.

Akihiro Gono and Adriano Balby spent three round playing their opposing styles. Gono low kicked and set up clinch action, Balby dictated the cage control. There was a lot of back and forth action both with cage clinching and striking. Balby’s cage control and action, coupled with an elbow that split Gono’s brow in the second, got him the split decision,

Igor Grytskiv brutalized Mehmosh Raza with low kicks and body punches throughout the entire first round. Raza stayed in the match and saved himself with a mid-round takedown to keep Grytskiv on his back for the last half. In the final round, Raza wasted no time taking the fight to the canvas and controlling Grytskiv to the bell. Raza showed heart and good strategy to take the majority decision.

Tang Kai delivered the first finish of the night but TKOing Mario Sismundo in the second round. Sismundo pushed the action but could never land. Tang’s low kicks hammered him in the first, and Tang smelled blood to get the TKO by pounding out a dazed Sismundo.

In the second bout, at light heavyweight, Konstantin Andreitsev made a very exciting first round with a big flurry that hurt Matheus Buffa. But Buffa recovered and weathered takedown attempts to find his second wind and his strategic striking edged him out to get the split decision.

Han Guojin and Yu Lei opened up the night with a docile three-rounder. Yu’s big knees to takedowns and dominant pressure on the ground won him the decision victory.